HUNTINGTON — A funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday, Sept. 6, at 6 p.m. at San Rafael Mission in Huntington for Luís Hernandez and Juan Carlos Payan, two of the six miners trapped in the Crandall Canyon Mine, said Father Donald E. Hope, pastor of Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish, Price. A funeral Mass will be celebrated for Manuel "Manny" Sanchez Sept. 15, at noon at Notre Dame de Lourdes Church in Price. Fr. Hope said plans were made for the Masses after consultation with the families Sept. 4. "In the cases of some of these miners, family members who have been here throughout the search need to return to Mexico Friday." After 25 days of searching, of waiting and watching and praying, officials of the Crandall Canyon Mine and MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) suspended the search for the six trapped miners Aug. 31. In effect they declared Kerry Allred, Don Erickson, Luís Hernandez, Juan Carlos Payan, Brandon Phillips, and Manuel "Manny" Sanchez "presumed dead." The six were trapped in a mine collapse Aug. 6, the extent of which no one seemed to know until bore hole after bore hole, drilled in search of the six missing miners, revealed only rubble, caved in mine walls, and mine floors that had cracked and pitched upward. Two rescue miners, Dale Ray Black and Brandon Kimber, and MSHA Inspector Gary Jensen were killed Aug. 16 in a second collapse in a feverish attempt to locate and rescue those who were trapped. An ecumenical memorial service, planned at the urging of Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, is slated for Sept. 9. Bishop John C. Wester of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, will participate in that service. In a touching attempt to reach out to the Utah miners’ families, a message of solidarity and support was sent to them from the families of 63 miners killed in a mine explosion Feb. 2, 2006, in Coahuila, Mexico. The message was delivered by the families to Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Mexico and translated by CRS staff into English. CRS forwarded the message to Dee Rowland, government liaison for the Diocese of Salt Lake City. The message read: "To the family members of the six Utah miners waiting to hear news of your loved ones: We have lived through the same thing that you are experiencing now. We understand your anguish and desperation. We experienced the same feelings we know you are experiencing now. On behalf of the family members of the 65 coal miners killed in the explosion at Pasta de Conchos on February 2, 2006, 63 of whom are still buried in the mine, we send you our prayers and solidarity. "We hope that you are receiving all the support that you deserve during this crisis and that as family members you are being heard by the authorities and the mining company. Know that our heartfelt prayers are with you as we continue to follow the case through the news reports we are receiving in Mexico. God be with you and give you strength." The message was signed by by Elvira Martinez Espinosa, Maria Trinidad Cantú, and Raúl Villasana, in name of the rest of the family members of the Pasta de Conchos miners (Municipality of San Juan de Sabinas, Coahuila, Mexico).
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